Apparatus for changing fluorescent lighting tubes and the like

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for changing from the ground level fluorescent lighting tubes of suspended ceiling fixtures which are otherwise inaccessible for such change except from a ladder or scaffold. The apparatus includes an elongated pole having sufficient length to reach a ceiling fixture, and an elongated longitudinally extending carrier is mounted upon the pole so as to be manipulated thereby. A tube holder having a pair of jaws selectively movable between open and closed positions is mounted upon the carrier and extends upwardly therefrom. The holder is adapted to releasably receive a fluorescent tube for removal and replacement thereof, and when gripping such tube, supports the same in a generally horizontal longitudinally disposed orientation. A fixture stop is supported by the carrier adjacent one end thereof and it is movable with respect thereto and with respect to the holder in generally longitudinal directions between positions in which it is remote from a fixture and in engagement therewith to enforce longitudinal displacements thereof relative to the holder and any tube supported thereby so as to urge one end of the tube against a compression socket so as to force the same into a retracted position, thereby permitting the opposite end of the tube to be inserted into the socket therefor.

United States Patent 1 1 Nagy [4 1 May 8, 1973 [54] APPARATUS FORCHANGING FLUORESCENT LIGHTING TUBES AND THE LIKE [76] Inventor: Steve Ngy, 248 15th Street,

Richmond, Calif 94801 [22] Filed: May 10, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 141,888

Primary ExaminerEvon C. Blunk Assistant Examinerlladd S. LaneAtt0rneyJoseph B. Gardner [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for changing from theground level fluorescent lighting tubes of suspended ceiling fixtureswhich are otherwise inaccessible for such change except from a ladder orscaffold. The apparatus includes an elongated pole having sufficientlength to reach a ceiling fixture, and an elongated longitudinallyextending carrier is mounted upon the pole so as to be manipulatedthereby. A tube holder having a pair of jaws selectively movable betweenopen and closed positions is mounted upon the carrier and extendsupwardly therefrom. The holder is adapted to releasably receive afluorescent tube for removal and replacement thereof, and when grippingsuch tube, supports the same in a generally horizontal longitudinallydisposed orientation. A fixture stop is supported by the carrieradjacent one end thereof and it is movable with respect thereto and withrespect to the holder in generally longitudinal directions betweenpositions in which it is remote from a fixture and in engagementtherewith to enforce longitudinal displacements thereof relative to theholder and any tube supported thereby so as to urge one end of the tubeagainst a compression socket so as to force the same into a retractedposition, thereby permitting the opposite end of the tube to be insertedinto the socket therefor.

8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FUR CHANGING FLUORESCENT LIGHTINGTUBES AND THE LIKE This invention relates to apparatus for use inchanging the fluorescent tubes of lighting fixtures, and it relates moreparticularly to apparatus for changing fluorescent tubes in suspendedceiling fixtures and the like which not only are supported at anelevation that otherwise makes them inaccessible except from ladders andscaffolding, but are often suspended on flexible .or swinging supportsthat permit the fixture to move in horizontal directions when a lateralforce is applied thereto.

As is well known, fluorescent lights used for illumination are elongatedtubular components equipped at their opposite ends with electricalcontacts in the form of pins that must be inserted into socketstherefore so as to connect with the terminals of a power circuit. Sincefluorescent lighting often is superior to the more usual incandescentlighting, it is not uncommon for fluorescent lighting to be used infactories, warehouses, stores, and other commercial and industrialestablishments which have very high ceilings to 30 feet, for example)from which the lighting fixtures are suspended. In a great number, ifnot in all, instances such lighting fixtures are located at an elevationmaking the same generally inaccessible except from tall ladders andscaffolding, which therefore makes replacement of the fluorescent tubesin such fixtures difficult, time consuming, and somewhat hazardous.Further, such fixtures are usually not rigidly located and tend to moveor swing in generally horizontal directions when a lateral force isapplied thereto either because the support for the fixtures are flexibleand/or because any rigid supports (pipes or tubes, for example) arequite long and therefore function somewhat in the nature of a longspring.

Whereas older fluorescent fixtures and the tubes therefor required thetubes to be inserted into the fixture sockets and then rotated to lockthe tube in position and establish an electric connection between thetube contacts and socket terminals, the trend is to replace such tubesand sockets with an arrangement that does not require rotation of thetube. More particularly, in such more modern arrangements, one of thetwo sockets provided for any lighting tube is a compression-type socketin which a portion thereof is longitudinally movable between extendedand retracted positions and is spring loaded toward the extendedposition thereof. In order to insert a tube into such socket, a tubeintended for this use must be employed and the movable component of thecompression socket must be displaced into its retracted positionwhereupon the tube can then be aligned with the sockets and insertedinto one or the other thereof and the movable component of thecompression socket released to permit it to engage the tube and lock thesame in place and, at the same time, establish the electrical connectionwith the lighting tube.

Objects, among others, of the present invention are to provide animproved apparatus for changing fluorescent lighting tubes in suspendedceiling fixtures and the like of the general type described, and toprovide improved apparatus of such character that can be used from thefloor level to replace tubes in remotely located fluorescent lightingfixtures which may be swingable, the apparatus being operative to holdand stabilize the same.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention, especially asconcerns particular features and characteristics thereof, will becomeapparent as the specification continues.

In general terms, the apparatus includes a pole equipped adjacent oneend thereof with a longitudinally extending carrier along which afluorescent tube is adapted to be located. A tube holder is locatedalong the carrier and is adapted to releasably receive a tube thereinboth for removal of a tube from such fixture and for replacement ofanother tube therein. The holder is operative to dispose any such tubein a generally longitudinal orientation in which it substantiallyparallels the carrier. A fixture stop is supported by the carrier forgenerally longitudinal movement with respect to the holder and any tubesupported thereby between positions remote from an end portion of suchfixture and in engagement therewith to effect longitudinal displacementsbetween the fixture and tube, thereby causing the movable component of acompression socket to be moved into its retracted position by the endportion of a tube engaged therewith. In this manner, the movable elementof the compression socket can be retracted both during removal of afluorescent lighting tube from the fixture and in replacing the samewith another tube.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view in elevation of apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, broken side view in elevation of one of the endportions of such apparatus showing the same in functional associationwith a fluorescent lighting tube and with the compressible socket of afixture in which the tube has just been mounted;

FIG. 3 is a broken end view in elevation taken generally along the plane3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a broken vertical sectional view taken generally along theline 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the apparatus as it is illustrated in FIG.1;

FIG. 6 is a broken side view in elevation of the apparatus illustratingthe same during its use in removing a fluorescent tube from its fixture;and

FIG. 7 is a broken side view in elevation, similar to that of FIG. 6,but illustrating the apparatus during use thereof in mounting afluorescent tube within the fixture, it being observed that thecondition of the ap paratus precedes the condition thereof illustratedin FIG. 2.

The apparatus illustrated in the drawing is denoted in its entirety withthe numeral 10, and it includes an elongated support pole II that may beextensible or adjustable so that the apparatus can be made toaccommodate conveniently lighting fixtures located at variouselevations. In this respect, the pole 11 may have any usual andcustomary form, being constructed of separable sections and/orcomprising a plurality of telescopically engaged sections 12 and M whichare fixedly secured in any position of adjustment by set screws or othermeans, not shown. The pole 11 is equipped adjacent the upper end thereofwith a longitudinally extending carrier 15 that is rigidly related tothe pole by being welded, bolted, or otherwise fixedly attached thereto.In the form shown, the carrier 15 is elongated and extends outwardlyfrom the pole 11 for substantially equal distances. The carrier 15 mayhave any convenient form, and in the apparatus it is a generallyL-shaped channel, as shown best in FIGS. 3 and 4.

Fixedly related to the pole l1 and carrier is a tube holder 16 having apair of jaws l7 and 18 pivotally secured to each other by a pivot pin19, and biased toward the closed position thereof by one or more torsionsprings 20. The jaw 18 may be considered a stationary component and itis rigidly secured to the carrier 15 by a pair of longitudinally spaced,L-shaped brackets 21 and 22 that may be spot welded or otherwise fixedto both the jaw and carrier.

The jaws 17 and 18 may be curved or otherwise configured, as shown inFIG. 4, so as to enable the same to receive and grip a fluorescentlighting tube therebetween, such tube being illustrated in FIGS. 2, 6,and 7 (and diagrammatically in FIG. 4) and denoted in each instance withthe numeral 24. In their closed position, the jaws 17 and 18 are adaptedto grip the tube 24 with sufficient compressive force to constrain thesame against relative movement with respect to the holder but, ofcourse, without sufficient force to crush the frangible glass envelopeforming a part of the tube 24. The jaw 17 is movable with respect to thejaw 18 between the closed and open positions respectively illustrated inFIG. 4 by full and broken lines, and the means by which this isaccomplished will now be described.

The operating means for opening and closing the jaws of the holder 16may take a variety of forms, and in the embodiment of the inventionbeing considered, it constitutes an arm 25 extending laterally from thejaw 17 at about the midpoint thereof. attached to the outer end of thearm 25 by means of a ring or loop 26 is an elongated cord 27 extendingdownwardly along the pole 11 through a guide loop or ring 28 locatedtherealong intermediate the ends thereof. Ordinarily, the jaws 17 and 18of the tube holder 16 are held in the closed position thereof by thetorsion springs 20, but the jaw 17 may be swung outwardly into its openposition by applying a downward force to the cord 27 of sufficientmagnitude, whereupon the jaw 17 is pivoted or swung outwardly about theaxis of the pin 19, as shown by broken lines in FIG. 4. When the forceapplied to the cord 27 is released, the jaw 17 returns toward the closedposition thereof under the biasing force of the springs 20, therebymoving either into a completely closed position or into clampingengagement with a fluorescent tube 24 positioned between the jaws 17 and18.

The apparatus 10 further includes a fixture stop 29 supported formovement with respect to the carrier 15 and, more particularly, withrespect to the holder 16 in generally longitudinal directions betweenthe open position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in which the stop is remotefrom an end of a light fixture and a closed position illustrated inFIGS. 6 and 7 in which it is in abutment with such fixture. As respectsthe present invention, a typical lighting fixture comprises (or iscomprised by) a pair of longitudinally spaced sockets 30 and 31respectively adapted to receive the opposite ends of the fluorescenttube 24 so as to mechanically support the same and establish electricalconnection therewith. The socket 30 is a compression socket having anelement 32 longitudinally movable between extended and retractedpositions respectively illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. The element 32 isresiliently biased into the extended position shown in FIG. 6 but can bedisplaced inwardly into its retracted position upon application of asufficient compressive force operative between the element 32 and mainsection of the socket 30. The sockets 30 and 31 may be completelyconventional, and an example thereof is sold by the General ElectricCo., under the tradename Alf8 l 2 (A & B)."

The fixture stop 29 in the form shown includes a crank-shaped elementhaving a base leg 34 pivotally secured by a pin 35 to a downwardlyextending bracket 36 riveted or otherwise fixedly attached to thecarrier 15. The crank-shaped component further has an upwardly extendingleg 37 formed integrally with the leg 34, and at its upper end the leg37 is equipped with an inwardly extending abutment 38 adapted to engagethe outer surface of the socket 30, as seen in FIGS. 6 and 7. Pivotallyattached to the leg 37 by a pin 39 is one end of a lever 40 which islongitudinally disposed and at its other end adjacent the pole 11 ispivotally secured at 41 to a crankarm 42 which is pivotally attached tothe section 14 of the pole 11 by a pin 44. The crank 42 is resilientlybiased in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 7, by ahelical tension spring 45 attached adjacent the opposite ends thereof tothe arm 42 and carrier 15. The crankarm 42 can be angularly displaced ina clockwise direction against the biasing force of the spring 45 by anelongated cord 46 that extends downwardly along the pole 11 through theaforementioned guide ring 28.

It will be apparent that the spring 45 ordinarily maintains the fixturestop 29 in the outer position thereof in which it is remote from thesocket 30. However, application to the cord 46 of a tensile forceadequate to overcome the spring force 45 will cause the longitudinallydisposed lever 40 to be displaced toward the right, as viewed in FIGS. 6and 7, thereby swinging the fixture stop 29 inwardly toward the socket30 or in a clockwise direction about the pivot pin 35. Such operation ofthe fixture stop 29 used to compress or retract the movable element 32of the socket 30 both in removing a tube 24 from the fixture and inpositioning a tube therein, as will be described in greater detailhereinafter.

The apparatus 10 further includes a plurality of Iongitudinally spacedtube supports 47 and 48 disposed on opposite sides of the holder 16 andfixedly secured to the carrier 15. The supports 47 and 48 are in thenature of auxiliary components that cooperate with the holder 16 inpositionally locating the tube 24 with respect to the carrier 15 andentire apparatus 10. In this respect, the upper end portions of thesupports 47 and 48 have arcuate openings of essentially semicylindricalconfiguration dimensioned to seat the tube 24 therein, as shown in FIGS.2, 6, and 7. Evidently then, the supports 47 and 48 are disposed inlongitudinal alignment and are also aligned with the holder 16 so thatthe tube 24 can be tightly gripped thereby when such tube is also seatedwithin the supports 47 and 48. It might be noted that fluorescentlighting tubes are provided with different diameters, and the bestresults are obtained with the arcuate openings in the supports 47 and 48are dimensioned to snuggly receive and seat a tube 24 therein.Accordingly, a plurality of supports in different sizes may be providedwith the apparatus 10, and the supports may be removable secured to thecarrier 15, as by means of wing nuts 49 and 50. A guide 51 is alsoremovably secured to the carrier 15 by a wing nut 52, and it also has anarcuate, generally semicylinderical opening therein, as shown best inFIG. 5, adapted to seat the lower end portion of the socket 31 therein,as is seen best in FIG. 6. The arcuate openings in the support 48 andguide 51 are of different diameters, as can be seen in FIG. 5, since thetube 24 shown has a greater radius of curvature than the radius ofcurvature of the socket 31 along the bottom portion thereof.

The structural components of the apparatus as thus far described, areadequate for removal of a tube 24 from the sockets 30 and 31 of afluorescent lighting fixture. In this reference, the tube 24 will bemechanically and electrically interconnected with the sockets 30 and 31and supported thereby, at which time the displaceable element 32 of thecompression socket 30 is in its extended position, as shown in FIG. 6.In order to remove the tube 24 from the fixture, a workman raises theapparatus 10 to the elevation of the tube 24 and opens the jaws 17 and18 of the tube holder 16 by pulling the cord 27 downwardly. The fixturestop 29 is open or in its remote position, thereby permitting theapparatus 10 to be moved upwardly into the position shown in FIG. 6 inwh'ichthe tube 24 is seated within the holder 16 and within theauxiliary supports 47 and 48. The workman then releases the cord 27 topermit the jaws 17 and 18 of the holder 16 to close and engage the tube24 with a tight frictional grip.

Next, the workman pulls the cord 46 downwardly relative to the handle 11which results in the fixture stop 29 being moved inwardly in a clockwisedirection toward engagement with the socket 30, as shown in FIG. 6.Continued downward force applied to the cord 46 attempts to displace thefixture stop 29 to a greater extent but since it is in firm abutmentwith the socket 30, the carrier and tube holder 16 are displacedrelative to the fixture stop 29 and socket 30 from the position shown inFIG. 6 into the position illustrated in FIG. 7 in which the movablecomponent 32 of the socket 30 is displaced into its retracted positionby the tube 24 which, at this time, is tightly gripped by the tubeholder 16 so that it must move together with the tube holder andcarrier. As a result of such displacement, the opposite end of the tube24 is withdrawn from the socket 31 (see FIG. 7) whereupon the apparatus10 and tube 24 gripped thereby can be pivoted downwardly in a clockwisedirection, as viewed in FIG. 7, about the point of engagement of thesocket 311 with the tube 24 so as to completely separate the oppositeend of the tube from the adjacent socket 31. Thereafter, the fixturestop 29 can -be released to permit the movable element 32 of thecompression socket to return to its extended position and to free thefixture stop from the socket 30, thereby permitting the apparatus 10 andtube 24 to be displaced slightly toward the right to separate the tubefrom the socket 30. The tube 24 is then held only by the apparatus 10which may be lowered to permit the workman to remove the tube from theholder 16.

An additional component comprised by the apparatus 10 is useful duringthe operation in which a tube 24 is mounted within the fixturecomprising the sockets 30 and 31, and such additional componentconstitutes a movable guide 54 mounted upon the carrier 15 outwardly ofthe auxiliary support 47. The guide or guide structure 54 includes atubular support sleeve 55 fixedly secured to the carrier 15 in anysuitable manner as, for example, by means of a clip 56 extendingforwardly from the tube and about the upper flange of the carrier. Theclip 56 can be welded, riveted, or otherwise fixedly attached to thecarrier, but it is advantageously secured thereto with a friction fitthat permits the entire guide assembly 54 to be removed quickly andeasily from the carrier when the apparatus 10 is used to remove a tube24 from the lighting fixture, as shown in FIG. 6.

The guide assembly 541 further includes a generally U-shaped carriage 57having a base leg extending through the tubular guide 55 and freelyslidable with respect thereto in longitudinal directions. One of theupwardly extending legs of the carriage 57 has one end of a helicaltension spring 58 attached thereto, the opposite end of the spring beingattached to a post projecting upwardly from the guide 55. Accordingly,the carriage 57 is resiliently biased by the spring 58 toward the left,as viewed especially in FIG. 2, until the inner upwardly extending legof the carriage substantially abuts the guide 55. The opposite leg ofthe carriage 57 is equipped with an upwardly extending guide 59 havingan arcuate, semicylindrical opening 60 dimensioned to snuggly seat thearcuate lower edge of the compression socket 30 therein, as seen inFIGS. 2 and 7. The guide 60 further comprises an abutment 61 locatedalong the inner face of the socket section having the seat 60 therein,and the abutment 60 is also provided with an arcuate recess 62corresponding essentially to the curvature of the movable element 31 ofthe compression socket so as to seat the element 31 therein. It will beevident, especially in FIG. 5, that the arcuate seat 60 is substantiallylarger than the arcuate opening 62, whereupon the abutment 61 is adaptedto engage or abut the inner face of the socket 30 when the lower endthereof is seated within the opening 60 and the element 31 of the socketis seated within the opening 62. This relationship is advantageouslyused when a tube 24 is mounted within a lighting fixture.

In this respect, when it is desired to position a tube 24 within thesockets 30 and 31, the guide assembly 54 is mounted upon the carrier 15(if it is not already in position thereon) and the holder 16 opened toseat a tube 24 therein and in the auxiliary supports 47' and 4,8. Thetube 24 is generally centered with respect to the apparatus 10, and thecontacts of the tube are disposed in a horizontal position whichconforms to the orientation of the contact-receiving opening in thesockets 3t and 31 (it being apparent that if such openings have adifferent orientation, the position of the tube 24 within the holder 16will be changed to enable the contacts of the tube to align with thesocket openings therefor). With the tube 24 firmly gripped by theapparatus 10 and properly oriented with respect thereto, the apparatusis elevated toward the fixture until the guide 59 seats the socket 30and movable element 31 thereof within the openings 60 and 62. At thistime, the tube 24 and carrier 15 will have a slight angular orientationbecause the tube 24 will not be able to fit between the sockets 3t and31 because the element 32 of the socket 30 will be in its extendedposition. It might be noted that the tube 24 and carrier 15 might havesome other angular orientation as, for example, one in which the tube 24is generally horizontal but extends along the socket 31 on either of thesides thereof.

The workman then pulls the cord 46 so as to swing the fixture stop 29inwardly from the position shown in FIG. 2 into the position showngenerally in FIG. 6 in which the fixture stop abuts the outer surface ofthe socket 30. Continued inward movement of the fixture stop 29 causesthe carrier 15, tube holder 16, and tube 24 supported thereby to bedisplaced toward the left relative to the fixture stop and socket 30.Such movement of the tube 24 causes the element 32 of the compressionsocket 30 to be displaced into its retracted position, whereupon thecarrier 15 can be swung upwardly to seat the socket 31 in the arcuateopening of the guide 51, as shown in FIG. 7. At this time, the positiveengagement of the guides 51 and 59 with the respective sockets 31 and 30assures a condition of proper alignment of the tube 24 and contactsthereof with the openings in the sockets, and the workman then releasesthe fixture stop 29 to permit the movable element 32 of the compressionsocket to displace the tube 24 and carrier 15 toward the right so as toseat the tube within the socket 31, as shown in FIG. 6. Thereafter, theworkman opens the tube holder 16 (perhaps after first testing to be surethe tube is firmly seated and mechanically held by the sockets 30 and31), and the apparatus may then be moved downwardly and the holderreleased so that it can return to its normally closed position.

The guide structure 54 (or more particularly the guide 59 thereof) ismovable relative to the carrier because the abutment member 61 of theguide is in firm engagement with the socket 30 when the fixture stop 29is also in engagement therewith and is exerting sufficient forcethereaginst to cause the carrier 15 to be displaced relative to thesocket. Accordingly, the carrier 15 must then move longitudinallyrelative to the guide 59, abutment 61, and carriage 57. The two extremepositions of the movable guide structure 54 relative to the carrier 15are illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 7. It may be noted that the apparatus 10can be used to remove a tube 24 from the sockets 30 and 31 without firstremoving the guide structure 54 from the carrier 15, but thisnecessitates the exercise of considerable care in use of the apparatusin that the guide 54 must be carefully associated with the socket 30before the tube 24 can be gripped by the holder 16. It might also benoted that the apparatus 10 can be used with tubes of different lengthssimply by shifting the position of the guide 51 which, in each instance,is oriented so that it is in engagement with the socket 31 duringinsertion of the tube 24, as illustrated in FIG. 7. In the particularapparatus shown, it is intended to function with relatively long tubes24 and to accommodate tubes that are slightly shorter, and in accordancetherewith, the carrier 15 is equipped with a plurality of openings 64(FIG. 5) respectively adapted to receive the wing nut structure 52 bymeans of which the guide 51 is secured to the carrier. The openings 64are located so as to respectively correspond to the lengths of varioustubes to be handled by the apparatus.

While in the foregoing specification an embodiment of the invention hasbeen set forth in considerable detail for purposes of making a completedisclosure thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatnumerous changes may be made in such details without departing from thespirit and principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for changing fluorescent lighting tubes of suspendedceiling fixtures and the like having a pair of longitudinally spacedsockets respectively adapted to receive and establish electricalconnection with the opposite ends of such tube and at least one of whichsockets is a compression socket longitudinally movable between retractedand extended positions, comprising: a support pole equipped adjacent oneend thereof with a longitudinally extending carrier, a tube holderadapted to releasably receive such a tube for removal from andreplacement in such fixture and being adapted to support a tube inlongitudinally disposed orientation, a fixture stop pivotally supportedby said carrier adjacent an end thereof for generally longitudinalmovement with respect to said holder between a position remote from theend of such fixture adjacent compression socket and a position inengagement therewith to enforce longitudinal displacements thereonrelative to said holder and any tube supported thereby to displace suchcompression socket into its retracted position, and means for operatingsaid fixture stop between such positions thereof.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said tube holder is selectivelymovable between closed and open positions respectively to grip such tubeand to enable the same to be placed within and removed from the holer,and in which said tube holder comprises a pair of relatively movablejaws displaceable between the aforesaid closed and open positions, atorsion spring engaging said jaws and biasing the same toward the closedposition thereof, and in which said apparatus further comprises meansfor opening and closing said jaws.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising guide structuresupported by said carrier adjacent said fixture stop and beingengageable with such compression socket to positively locate saidapparatus and any tube supported thereby during mounting thereof in suchfixture.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which said guide structure includes anabutment component engageable with such compression socket as aforesaid,and further includes means supported said abutment component forlongitudinal displacements relative to said carrier.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 and further comprising an additional guidesupported by said carrier adjacent the end thereof opposite theaforesaid guide structure for engagement with the other such socket topositionally locate said-apparatus and any tube supported thereby withrespect to such sockets.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which said tube holder is selectivelymovable between closed and open positions respectively to grip such tubeand to enable the same to be placed within and removed from the holder,and in which said tube holder comprises a pair of relatively movablejaws displaceable between the aforesaid closed and open positions, atorsion spring engaging said jaws and biasing the same toward the closedposition thereof, and in which said apparatus further comprises meansfor opening and closing said jaws.

means for securing said guide structure to said carrier so as to permitremoval of the guide structure from the carrier whenever said apparatusis used to remove a tube from such lighting fixture.

1. Apparatus for changing fluorescent lighting tubes of suspendedceiling fixtures and the like having a pair of longitudinally spacedsockets respectively adapted to receive and establish electricalconnection with the opposite ends of such tube and at least one of whichsockets is a compression socket longitudinally movable between retractedand extended positions, comprising: a support pole equipped adjacent oneend thereof with a longitudinally extending carrier, a tube holderadapted to releasably receive such a tube for removal from andreplacement in such fixture and being adapted to support a tube inlongitudinally disposed orientation, a fixture stop pivotally supportedby said carrier adjacent an end thereof for generally longitudinalmovement with respect to said holder between a position remote from theend of such fixture adjacent compression socket and a position inengagement therewith to enforce longitudinal displacements thereonrelative to said holder and any tube supported thereby to displace suchcompression socket into its retracted position, and means for operatingsaid fixture stop between such positions thereof.
 2. The apparatus ofclaim 1 in which said tube holder is selectively movable between closedand open positions respectively to grip such tube and to enable the sameto be placed within and removed from the holer, and in which said tubeholder comprises a pair of relatively movable jaws displaceable betweenthe aforesaid closed and open positions, a torsion spring engaging saidjaws and biasing the same toward the closed position thereof, and inwhich said apparatus further comprises means for opening and closingsaid jaws.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising guidestructure supported by said carrier adjacent said fixture stop and beingengageable with such compression socket to positively locate saidapparatus and any tube supported thereby during mounting thereof in suchfixture.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which said guide structureincludes an abutment component enGageable with such compression socketas aforesaid, and further includes means supported said abutmentcomponent for longitudinal displacements relative to said carrier. 5.The apparatus of claim 4 and further comprising an additional guidesupported by said carrier adjacent the end thereof opposite theaforesaid guide structure for engagement with the other such socket topositionally locate said apparatus and any tube supported thereby withrespect to such sockets.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which said tubeholder is selectively movable between closed and open positionsrespectively to grip such tube and to enable the same to be placedwithin and removed from the holder, and in which said tube holdercomprises a pair of relatively movable jaws displaceable between theaforesaid closed and open positions, a torsion spring engaging said jawsand biasing the same toward the closed position thereof, and in whichsaid apparatus further comprises means for opening and closing saidjaws.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 and further comprising a plurality oflongitudinally spaced auxiliary supports adapted to engage such tubeconcurrently with said tube holder so as to stabilize the position ofthe tube along said carrier.
 8. The apparatus of claim 3 and furthercomprising means for securing said guide structure to said carrier so asto permit removal of the guide structure from the carrier whenever saidapparatus is used to remove a tube from such lighting fixture.